DAD TO CHAMPION THE MUF CUTURAL SURVEY AND FRAMEWORK
The muf Cultural Survey report and Framework for Dover had its formal launch on Tuesday March 29th at the newly refurbished Dover Marina Hotel on the seafront. Members of the original steering group as well as some of those who participated in the original survey were among those who attended. Richard Bundy played on keyboard during the launch event.
The Dover Cultural Survey and Framework was prepared as part of the Sea Change funding programme funded by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment and partners Kent County Council (KCC), Dover District Council (DDC), South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), English Heritage (EH) and Dover Harbour Board (DHB). A Steering Group was set up in 2009 to commission the report chaired by Dover Pride and comprising members from the following organisations: SEEDA; Arts Council for England –South East; KCC-Arts Development Unit; English Heritage; DDC; Dover Arts Development (DAD) Following a tendering process, the group commissioned muf architecture/art consultants to deliver the survey and strategy/framework.
The work on this was commissioned in May 2009, with the initial survey being conducted in Dover in July/August 2009. The final report was approved by the Steering Group in mid 2010. Since 2010 many of the projects which were recommended have commenced or been completed and the underlying principles in the cultural framework have been put into practice.
Kevin Lynes, former chairman of Dover Pride and KCC cabinet member for regeneration and economic development said ”We are delighted that the survey and framework have been launched following the successful test project phase over the past twelve months. This is a great example of partnership working within the town and we are delighted that Dover Arts Development (DAD) will continue to ‘champion’ the principles of the framework going forward”.
The Dover Cultural Survey and Framework provides a basis on which projects can develop. In the future the steering group, hosted by Dover Arts Development, will continue to promote the principles of the strategy to foster the growth of projects and activities that enrich the cultural life of the town.
Promote existing Assets: Dover has wonderful assets which deserve to be better known.
Enrich rather than bolt on: Existing assets should be enriched and celebrated.
Purposeful and Playful: One of the characteristics of Dover identified in the survey was that it is both purposeful and playful. An example given was the seafront where the busy ferry port shares the area with children playing on the beach or Channel swimmers practising for their crossing.
